The Last Full Week of Tree Tapping

April 22nd through 28th, 2014

Lake Lucerne
The passing of the last of the four horsemen of the snowpocalypse left contrails of frozen terror sweat and low lying fog over the lake. The key word there is passing. The ice did not get thicker this week. Now we're not saying to go fetch the lawn chairs and warm up the sake, but the term "ice-out" is not as foreign as it was just a week ago.
Lake Lucerne
The sun is setting on the 2014 tapping season. There is only 1 or 2 more days of tree squeezing to go and then a final filtering and canning. Then spile pulling, bucket cleaning, lid delousing, pan scrubbing and funnel de-greasing. If we don't make it to the end, avenge our deaths.
Lake Lucerne
Creeks have turned into torrents this week. Large flows were seen gushing into the lake in many spots.
Lake Lucerne
The result of all that un-trickling is a higher lake. It's up an inch from last week.
Lake Lucerne
It snowed an inch or two on Thursday, but that did not stop golf on Saturday. The NCC is open and the greens are slow.
Lake Lucerne
It's always been a hard shot if you go long on one and park your ball atop the water tower. Now they have added a tree to make it an even harder shot. I suggest a gap wedge.
Lake Lucerne
All that snow and now rain has been great for the lake but not so much for the water hazard on seven. One of the two bridges is out and the other soggy due to local flooding.
Lake Lucerne
Parking at the NCC is not an issue.
Lake Lucerne
It's pulling away from the shore. Not a lot, but enough to make an excursion to the more solid ice, a meter or two out, seem impossible. We'd guess it's currently over 16 inches thick making any thoughts of fishing from a boat on opening day next Saturday a fantasy. Fishing would have been not so fun anyway due to the rain. There's rain in the forecast for all of next week including the weekend. Clearly the best fishing on the lake will be the day before opening day at Water's Edge. You should be able to catch your limit of walleye using only a wallet and fork. Guides familiar with the menu also suggest the use of tartar sauce and pogs.


-Nemo went long on one but still got his best score of the season.